Date: October 10, 2018
Contact: Cynthia Hallett, 510-841-3045; 510-460-0748 mobile
October 10, 2018, Lafayette, Louisiana – A contingency of American musicians, spanning the spectrum of musical genres, have united to push efforts to create smokefree musical venues nationwide. The initiative, in coordination with Americans Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation, aims to improve the health of musicians, venue workers, and audiences by making music venues and every music city a smokefree music city.
The campaign kick-off is timed in conjunction with the Music Cities Convention, October 11 -12, 2018. The convention is an international gathering of music industry professionals and city officials and is the largest and most extensive global gathering on the topic of Music Cities. This is 7th installment of the Music Cities Convention, designed to “showcase the best practices for improving urban planning, quality of life, city policy and development strategies through music.” Lafayette, LA is known for its commitment to music and musicians; it became a Smokefree Music City in April 2017. Smokefree cities are critical to the quality of life for everyone, including those artists who contribute to the vibrancy and economic viability of these cities.
Eamonn McCrystal, a multi-emmy award winning Northern Irish pop tenor residing in Los Angeles said, “The dangers of second and thirdhand smoke are very well documented. It’s just not possible for me to perform in a smoke-filled atmosphere. Aside from the health risks and the uncomfortable vocal experience it just never a pleasant experience when you return home and your clothes and equipment are destroyed with the smell of smoke.”
“Secondhand smoke is a carcinogen and even brief exposure can be hazardous to your health,” said Cynthia Hallett, President and CEO of the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation. Many cities, states, and countries have adopted 100% smokefree rules to protect the health and safety of workers and patrons, including musicians and their fans. “Austin, Branson, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and New York are smokefree music cities. It’s time for all music cities to go smokefree – in restaurants, bars, clubs, and casinos.”
Let’s clear the air…smokefree venues help me to live well and sing about it! I support Smokefree Music Cities. Won’t You?” ~ Yvette Landry, Grammy nominated, award winning Louisiana-based honky-tonk artist.
The best measure for how much we love our music is how we protect those who make it. Several artists from Los Angeles to Louisiana have shared their voices to the Smokefree Music Cities campaign; see them at www.smokefreemusicities.org.
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The American Nonsmokers’ Rights (ANR) Foundation is a national non-profit organization established in 1984 that works to save lives by removing secondhand smoke from indoor workplaces and public places.
Smokefree Music Cities is a project of the ANR Foundation in partnership with other public health and musician-oriented organizations working to improve musicians’ health.
